


The New Mavericks: Outbreak

by HuntressTrysta (AngelicSabyne)



Series: Mega Man X: The New Mavericks [1]
Category: Rockman X | Mega Man X
Genre: AU, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2010-05-12
Updated: 2014-08-17
Packaged: 2017-10-09 10:12:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 15,093
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/86063
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AngelicSabyne/pseuds/HuntressTrysta
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It has been 250 years since the events of X8.  Recently, a disturbing series of unexplained events have been taking place.  With no answers and few leads, the Hunters are awakened to aid their new allies in a desperate search for answers.</p><p>A strange new virus of unknown origins has begun to emerge among the human population.  This disease appears to closely mimic the Maverick virus in Reploids, and could lead to new conflicts between the two groups.  Even when one possible origin of the virus is uncovered, the Hunters and their allies must face unknown dangers from all angles in order to uncover the answers they seek.  Even then, they risk failure...</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue: Notification

Disclaimer: All _Mega Man X_ /_Rockman X _characters appearing or mentioned in this story are the property of CAPCOM. I only own the new characters I am introducing in this and future story arcs.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Dr. Kiloh? There’s a message for you from Dr. Dien.” The senior assistant’s footsteps preceded her voice by mere seconds as she entered the lab her superior worked in. “He is requesting a response as soon as possible.”

The figure seated at the desk in front of her didn’t move, she noted with a mixture of disgust and admiration. A part of her wished she could exercise that same level of restraint, yet there was something unsettling about it at the same time. It was almost like watching a machine working.

After a few moments, the slightly grizzled head lifted, and a hand beckoned her closer. “Sorry, Molli.” He apologized. “I was focused on this experiment. If I can get it right, the results will provide a much-needed boost in the virus protection for reploids.”

Molli nodded, expressing her understanding with that singular gesture. “No need to apologize, Dr. Kiloh.” She replied. “I know how important your research is. Had I not been told how important this matter was, I would not have interrupted your work.”

He gave her a reassuring smile as he pushed his chair away from the desk. “Maybe I needed a break, anyway.” He said as he stood up, walking slowly around the desk. “So, what does my colleague have to say?”

Molli handed him the disk containing the data that was sent by Dr. Dien. “I don’t know, Doctor.” she answered. “All he would tell me was that he needed to get in touch with you as soon as possible. Oh, he did mention something about a hypothesis being correct, but…” She paused as she saw the beginnings of a frown creasing his face. “Doctor.?” she ventured carefully.

Kiloh shook his head. “Don’t worry yourself about it, Molli. Just go back to your work.” Gently, he patted her shoulder. “Once I speak with Dr. Dien about this, I’ll tell you more if I am able to.”

She still seemed confused about everything that was going on, but that didn’t keep her from nodding her understanding. She figured her employer needed time alone to think, so there were no second thoughts as she stepped out of the room. Once the door closed behind her, Kiloh removed the disk from its case and inserted it into the computer at his elbow. “Oh, Jona.” He sighed softly as he waited for the data to load. “What have you found? What could you have possibly discovered that would concern me?”

A small beep from the computer told him that the data upload was complete. Slowly, he scrolled through the numerous pages of data, their numbers and letters glowing eerily against the black screen. To an untrained eye, the charts and reports would come across as gibberish, too difficult to decipher without hours of reading and tons of reference material. As his eyes scanned the data, his frown only deepened in a mixture of puzzlement and disbelief. Human Immunology had never been his specialty; human systems seemed too simplistic compared to the intricate beauty of reploids’ systems. The issues that affected reploids called to him more than those affecting humans, especially since the number of scientists researching reploid Immunology were few. Dien, his colleague and friend, had always been the human specialist of the two of them, and had been from the day they met.

And that was precisely what bothered Kiloh about the data he was seeing. Why was it that the data sent to him by his friend, the Doctor of Human Immunology, looked so similar to that regularly seen by him, the Doctor of Reploid Immunology?

Whatever the reason, he was determined to get to the bottom of it. Turning to his right, he activated the communications monitor, pressing the sequence of buttons that he knew would directly connect him with Dien. It was chancy, especially knowing the tendency a certain _someone_ in his lab had for monitoring incoming and outgoing communication, but it was a chance he was willing to take. He considered upping the encryption level of his message, but decided against it. Even if she _did_ manage to eavesdrop, he doubted it would do much more than confuse her horribly; he figured it might even teach her a lesson about listening in on conversations one shouldn’t be privy to.

He didn’t have long to wait, within moments the connection was established, and all thoughts of his little spy were pushed aside as he saw the face of his old friend and colleague. “I’ll dispense with the pleasantries, Jona.” He began. “As I’m sure you know what this is all about.”

Seeing Dien’s nod, Kiloh continued. “Jona, what the hell is going on?” he asked sourly. “What is this data you sent me?”

“Nice to see you too, Nage.” Dien replied coolly, visibly unruffled by the outburst. “Glad I’ve been so missed that I’m bombarded with abrasive questions as soon as I’m connected to you. As for the data, what does it look like to you?”

Kiloh raised an eyebrow. _If he’s trying to make a fool out of me…_ He thought to himself. “What does it look like? It looks like data I see every day.” He replied. “Data I’ve come across as I’ve researched various viral outbreaks among reploids over the years. Jona, is this a joke?”

Dien shook his head gravely, his prior joviality fading. “I wish it were, Nage.” He answered. “But it isn’t. That data I sent you is from research I’ve been conducting over the past six months. Research on human subjects who were brought to me or came to me willingly.”

“Six months…that’s when some mystery illness began showing up in the human population, isn’t it?”

“Exactly. Being the leading human Immunology researcher in this area, I have been the one whom both victims and reports have been brought to. Nage, the data I sent to you tracked rates of infection and death in my studies. And it isn’t getting any better. I just received word that three of my research subjects died yesterday from this ‘illness’, and there are ten new cases that were just reported to me this morning. Had I not thought it important, I wouldn’t have sent you the data, nor would I have requested you contact me immediately after receiving it.”

It was on the tip of his tongue to ask what a virus spreading among the human populace had to do with his research, but then it dawned on him what Dien was saying. The virus was behaving _exactly_ the same way that the various Maverick viruses behaved in reploids. Why had it taken Dien’s explanation to make him see that?

“I see.” _At least I do now._ “My question now is what we should do about it?” Kiloh finally responded, his uncertainty over how to handle the revelation showing in his voice.

“I think I have an answer for that too, Nage. I will be traveling to Cain Labs this afternoon, to show my research to the scientists there. If you could meet me there, maybe we could all work together for a day or two and come up with a plan to counteract the infection.”

Kiloh smiled. “Excellent idea, old friend.” He answered. “If anyone would have the technology and know-how to figure out what to do, it would be the researchers at Cain Labs. I’ll make arrangements to be there by tonight.”

“Glad to hear it, Nage. See you there.” The monitor faded off silently, and Kiloh was left to the sterile solitude of his lab. A thousand thoughts swirled in his head as he sat back in his chair, and most of them were negative. He finally had to take them in hand mentally and quell them, lest the incessant buzz between his ears distract his focus.

He had turned his chair away from the monitor and was starting to rise from it when he heard a familiar female voice over the communicator’s audio speaker.

“Dr. Kiloh? Dr. Kiloh, come in.”

“How did I know…?” he asked himself quietly as he turned back to the monitor. Flipping a switch, it reactivated, revealing the face that the voice originated from. “Ah, Trysta. I hadn’t expected to hear from you.” He said. “What can I do for you?”

Trysta smirked noticeably. “Cut the evasion, Dr. Kiloh.” She retorted. “I know what you’re up to. I listened in on your exchange with Dr. Dien while I was monitoring things from here in the Security station, and figured I would offer my assistance to you once again.”

He shook his head. “No, that will not be necessary this time, Trysta.” He replied, holding up a hand to stifle the protests he knew would be forthcoming. “I’ll only be away for a day or two at most, so you’ll likely be more useful making sure things keep running smoothly in my absence.”

“But Doctor…”

“No! Think about what you just overheard.” Kiloh interrupted. Damn it, why was she always so _obstinate_? “This is a dangerous matter, Trysta. One that requires absolute secrecy until we know what is behind it. If we are not careful, it could prove disastrous for both reploids and humans. It might even be enough to give some humans ‘cause’ over which to declare war on reploids.” He hoped that this approach would persuade her to drop the issue. Being privy to information was one thing, being privy to such sensitive and potentially damaging information was another matter completely. In his heart, he knew that that outcome would be _exactly_ what happened if word were to spread about a virus attacking humans that was similar to the one endured by reploids.

 

Intelligent blue eyes narrowed in contemplation as she thought about his words. “Very well, Dr. Kiloh.” She finally said after a minute of silence. “I will remain here and make sure things don’t fall apart while you’re away. I don’t like you traveling without me, but I will respect your orders.”

He nodded, thankful that she was acting sensible at last. “I’m grateful for your cooperation, Trysta.” He replied. “Just remember, right now the only ones who know of this are the two of us, Dr. Dien, and the researchers over at Cain. Until we know more, and decide on a cohesive plan of action, the information you overheard is not to be shared with others. Am I clear?”

“Perfectly, Doctor. Now, I’ll leave you to your work. I’m sure you have much to do before you leave.” The monitor clicked off again before he could reply. Shaking his head at the nature of the girl, Kiloh once again sat back in his chair and stared up at the ceiling. Mentally, he ran down a checklist of everything he would need for his trip, and once satisfied, he stood up and exited the lab.

There was a great deal yet to do before his departure, and precious little time in which to accomplish it all.


	2. Chapter 1: Authorization

“Very interesting, Jona.” Kiloh pushed his glasses further up the bridge of his nose as he looked up from the data he was reading. “Far too interesting to be a mere coincidence.”

Dien nodded. “Indeed.” He answered. “This is too unusual to be anything but deliberate. The patterns of infection, and even the symptoms all resemble the Maverick virus far too closely to be a fluke.”

Kiloh sat back in his chair, his head reeling a bit. “Do you think someone is trying to instigate war between humans and reploids?” he asked. It was a strange theory, he knew, but one that made sense, considering what the data was telling him.

Dien shrugged. “Your guess is as good as mine at this point, though I will agree that that theory of yours sounds feasible.” Removing his glasses, he stood. “Why don’t we take a break, Nage? I swear, I’ve been staring at these numbers for so long that they’re congealing and producing new numbers as I watch.”

Stifling an agreeing laugh, Kiloh nodded his agreement as he stood and joined his friend. “Excellent idea, old friend.” He replied. “We should get a bite to eat and rest our eyes. It’s been tough work, analyzing pages upon pages of data, and our eyes aren't as young as they used to be.”

“No, they aren't. Sad, really, as younger eyes might make this task easier.” Dien punctuated his statement with a quiet sigh as he fell into step beside his colleague.

As they headed for the cafeteria at Cain Labs, Kiloh couldn’t help but think about everything that had gone on in the past two days. Since his arrival, he had alternated between data analysis with Jona and discussion of their findings with Dr. Tayx, head researcher at Cain Labs. After listening to their last discussion regarding the possible meaning and motive behind the illness, Tayx had dismissed them with a promise to make some inquiries and check with them as soon as she was finished.

Sitting down at one of the tables in the large room, they were soon approached by the reploid server. Kiloh ordered his usual meal of tea and toast, while Dien ordered coffee and eggs. When they were alone again, they let a few moments elapse in silence before Dien cleared his throat.

“So, how is your ward, Nage?” he asked. “Mine always tells me to ask you that when I see you. So tell me how Trysta is, that I might tell her sister that she is well.”

“She most definitely is well, if nothing else.” Kiloh replied. “She’s as she always is. I practically had to lock her in the Security room to keep her from accompanying me here.”

“And with your luck, she would figure out the override codes and be out in five minutes if you had tried.” Dien pointed out with a chuckle. “All the while berating you until your ears bleed for locking her out of her job.”

“True.” Both men looked up as their food arrived. After thanking their server politely, they each began to eat, occasionally exchanging tidbits of news about how things in their respective labs fared. Kiloh was interested in the grant Dien had received to study ways to shield the human population from diseases, while Dien was fascinated by Kiloh’s research into beefing up existing security measures for reploids to prevent them from contracting viruses and going Maverick as a result.

“It won’t mean the end of Maverick reploids.” Kiloh finished. “But it will eliminate one way they can become Maverick.”

The conversation soon shifted to their previous meeting the prior morning with Dr. Tayx, and what might come next.

“Think about it, Nage. We might have just stumped a woman who is easily one of the brightest minds anywhere.” Dien whispered to his friend. “Does that concern you at all?”

Kiloh nodded. “Admittedly, it does.” He replied. “The fact that our data is so new to her that she has to make ‘inquiries’ about it is most distressing. It means there is more danger in what is going on than we originally thought.” He and Dien shared an agreeing nod, then went back to their food.

As they finished eating and were preparing to return to the lab, they were approached by another reploid. This was one they knew very well; she was Jun, Dr. Tayx’s own personal assistant. She smiled her usual bright smile as she stopped a few feet away from them.

“I have a message for you from Dr. Tayx.” She said in her usual slow yet even tone. “She says to meet her in her office immediately so you can continue your previous discussion with her.”

Dien smiled. “That will be fine. Thank you, Jun.” She smiled again as the two scientists left the cafeteria, making a detour so they could stop by the lab and pick up the bundles of data they had been analyzing.

Dien looked at Kiloh. “Well, Nage? What do you think?” he asked.

Kiloh shrugged. “To be honest, I won’t know what to think until we’re sitting with Kera talking about what’s going on.” He answered honestly. “So I think we should get going so we can accomplish that end.”

 **********

“Come in, gentlemen. Come in and have a seat.” Rising to her feet, Dr. Kera Tayx gestured to the two chairs in front of her desk as her visitors were ushered in. “I have news for you.”

“You got answers on the inquiries you made, Kera?” Dien asked as he sat down.

“If I hadn’t received any responses, I wouldn’t have called you here, Jona.” Tayx replied smoothly. “So you could say yes, I’ve gotten answers. Though I must say, I was not anticipating the wave of near-panic that your little bit of research has set off.”

Seeing Dien’s confused look, and noticing the mirroring one Kiloh wore, Tayx continued. “Every scientist I’ve spoken with who has seen the data and been told what it means has had the same reaction. I don’t know why, nor do I pretend to understand, but the fact that your data has set off this sort of alarm tells me this is serious.”

“Hell, just looking at the data tells us the same thing, Kera.” Dien interjected. “So what do we do now?”

“As I was about to say, Jona, if it weren’t for the serious nature of your findings, I doubt any of my inquiries would have been listened to.” She answered. “I was able to use my connections to gain the authorization I needed in order to proceed.”

Kiloh raised an eyebrow. “Authorization, Kera? For what?” he asked. “What could we possibly need that would require clearance before you could obtain it?”

Tayx smiled and looked at the timepiece that sat on her desk. “Meet me down at the H&amp;A Lab in an hour.” She replied. “I’ll explain everything to you when you arrive. Until then, go back to your rooms and get some rest. There’s little more you can learn from burning your eyes into nothingness by reading all this data.”

 ********

“Get any rest, Nage?” Dien was leaning against the wall next to the entrance to the Hibernation and Awakening Lab, watching keenly as his colleague showed up.

Kiloh shook his head. “Not a bit.” He answered. “I keep thinking about what Kera told us in that last meeting with her. It’s so difficult to get my head around the fact that we’ve discovered something potentially dangerous is happening.”

“Makes two of us, Nage. I admit, it shocked me when she told us that other top scientists were panicking when they saw our data. If what we’ve learned is enough to frighten the most brilliant minds in the world that badly, it _has_ to be something terrible.”

Kiloh nodded, watching silently as Dien attempted to use the lab’s security system. After three times were attempted and denied, he felt he needed to smooth his friend’s ruffled feathers before the good scientists at Cain Labs found themselves having to replace a security system.

“Easy there, Jona. Remember, the H&amp;A Labs have the highest clearance level of any place in this facility.” He reminded Dien. “Of course you’re going to be denied entry. After all, they don’t let just anyone in here who wants to enter. It would be too dangerous.”

“Nage is right, Jona.” Tayx appeared behind them before Dien could reply. “We can’t let just _anyone_ come in here, as you very well know.” Quickly, she punched in a sequence of keys on the nearby console before pressing her hand to the screen above it. With a hum, the doors slid open, admitting the trio into the most secretive lab in the complex.

Both men followed closely behind her as she entered the lab facility. “So, how come you asked us to meet you here?” Dien asked. “What’s here that you wanted us to know?”

She smiled to herself. “You’ll see for yourselves here in a minute or two.” She answered. Detaching herself from them, she approached the trio of scientists who were working in front of a large console. She spoke with them for a few moments before returning. “All right. Everything is going as was planned.” She said.

Dien raised an eyebrow. “_Now_ will you tell us what is going on, Kera?” he asked. “Without all the enigmatic crap? It’s starting to grate on my nerves.”

Tayx laughed softly. “Certainly, Jona.” She answered. “The ‘inquiries’ I was making were to see if I could get you some help, if you’ll recall.” Seeing him nod, she continued. “Nearly three centuries ago, three reploids existed. The task they chose to accept was to protect humans, no matter what the cost. When it seemed all would be safe without them, they went into hibernation, that they might be awakened if they were needed again.”

Kiloh nodded soberly. “Yes, I do recall hearing about them.” He said quietly. “Powerful reploids that could stand up to anything thrown at them. They were even said to be immune to the Maverick virus, though that could simply have been a myth.”

Tayx shrugged. “Could have been. Anyway, I figured you would require more help than a scientist could bring to the table, and I immediately thought of these three.” As she spoke, the three hibernation capsules immediately in front of them were opening, slowly revealing their occupants. As the group of scientists watched, the figures within the capsules stirred, slowly sitting up as they opened their eyes.

Gesturing that they should follow her, Tayx approached the trio briskly. “I apologize for having to awaken you.” She said as she drew near them. “But it seems we are in need of your help once again, Hunters.” Looking back, she nodded to Dien and Kiloh, indicating they should join her.

As he approached, Kiloh observed the three Maverick Hunters carefully. As with their present counterparts, at first glance they were indistinguishable from normal human beings, armor aside. Each was different from the others in many noticeable ways. The first wore blue armor and seemed to have short hair, as none could be seen peeking from his helmet. The second wore red armor adorned with green jewels, his long blond hair sweeping in a long arc from the nape of his neck. The third wore blue and gray armor striped with red, and his hair was more of an orange hue where it was visible.

Even their personalities seemed different from what he was observing. The one in red appeared to be the collected one. Having been the first to emerge from his hibernation pod, he stood leaning against it, green eyes scanning everything as though he expected an enemy to emerge any second and attack them. The other two appeared to be in differing stages of confusion over their current situation, their expressions revealing their puzzlement over what might be occurring.

Finally, the blond reploid spoke. “So, are you gonna tell us who you all are and why you felt it so important to wake us up?” he asked. As he spoke, Kiloh made mental notes, listening to the tones and nuances of his words. He knew this one was lethal, he had known it on sight. It was something in his posture, in his stance that led Kiloh to that conclusion. What he hadn’t known until that moment was how lethal he _sounded_. This was an individual who could kill with one shot, if he so chose.

_I’ll have to warn Trysta about this one._ He told himself mentally. _Otherwise she could wind up on the wrong end of a fight with this guy._

Tayx smiled apologetically. “Of course I am, Zero.” She answered, not even fazed by his abrupt questions. “First, the introductions. I am Dr. Kera Tayx, head researcher here at Cain Labs. With me are my two independent associates. On my left is Dr. Jona Dien, Doctor of Human Immunology, and on my right is Dr. Nage Kiloh, Doctor of Reploid Immunology.” Dien and Kiloh each nodded a greeting to the trio, letting Tayx handle the talking.

“As for why you have been awakened, that is a bit of a story.” Tayx continued. “One that should be told in more private quarters. Come, we’ll all return to my office. There, I’ll tell you everything we know, and what you will need to know.”

******** 

“What do you think of all this, Axl?” X flopped onto his stomach across one of the beds in the room they were given. Nearby, Axl sat cross-legged on another of the beds, and Zero lay on his back on the third, head pillowed by his arms. The past few hours had been taxing; first they had been brought out of hibernation, then they were required to sit and listen to that trio of scientists explain why they were awakened. Once the explanations were finished, they were allowed to retire to this room, in order to more fully recover before they were needed.

Axl shrugged. “To be honest X, I’m not really sure what to think.” He said. “I really want to make some kind of crack about this, but they seem so serious about everything. It makes me wonder why we’re here. I mean, it’s just a virus afflicting humans, isn’t it?”

X nodded in agreement. “Me too.” He answered. “I know the one scientist –Kiloh, was it?- seemed especially worried about conflict breaking out between humans and reploids. After all the fighting we endured before we went into hibernation, I’m not sure I’m ready to go through it again.”

“It isn’t like we have a choice.” Zero’s voice broke in. “It’s our job, remember? We can’t pick and choose our duties just because we aren’t sure we should get in the middle of things. I’m pretty sure if they felt they could handle things without us, we wouldn’t have been awakened. The fact that we are here suggests to me that this could be serious.”

Axl nodded. “You do have a point there, Zero.” He answered. “Regardless of how we feel about this, we were awakened to help with it. We can’t just turn our backs on them now, not when they seem so desperate for our help.”

X nodded as well, though his actions were somewhat reluctant. “Yeah, I suppose you’re right, Zero.” He said with a sigh. “I just wish I knew more about what’s going on. Do you feel like there’s things they aren’t telling us?”

“No, that’s just you being paranoid, X.” Axl interjected, holding up his arm to block the pillow that suddenly came flying at him from X’s bed. “Besides, if there _is_ anything they aren’t telling us, it’s probably because they don’t know enough about it to be able to gauge its importance.”

“Axl’s right, X.” Even resting with his eyes closed, Zero was actively listening. “We can’t just assume they’re intentionally keeping us in the dark about things. Not with how concerned Dr. Kiloh and Dr. Dien seem about this whole situation. I would think they’ve worked as hard as they can to make sure they know as much information as possible. We just have to trust them at this point.”

******** 

“I really wish we hadn’t had to awaken the Hunters.” Kiloh said to Dien as the duo walked to the lab’s transport center. Their allotted time spent at the labs was up, and they would be returning to their own respective labs, hoping to continue their research from there.

“I do too, Nage.” Dien replied. “But we didn’t have any other choice, and you know that. We don’t know nearly as much about this virus as we should; and the less we know about it, the less likely we are to find a cure.” They stopped in front of the loading ramp for Dien’s transport. He would be returning to his lab alone, as he felt that his colleague’s more vast knowledge of reploid technology would lend itself well to him hosting the three Hunters.

Kiloh sighed. “I know, Jona.” He answered. “I just wish…I just wish there were another way, that’s all. But you’re right, this is likely the best way we’ll find any answers, if not the only way.”

“Believe me, I wish there were too.” Dien answered as he held his hand out. “Anyway, safe journey back to the lab, old friend.” He continued as Kiloh clasped his hand in a firm shake. “I’ll continue my research on this illness, and contact you as I learn more. I should have new study results available within the next few days.”

“Thank you, Jona. I’ll do whatever research I can on my end, and stay in touch as I learn more.” The two colleagues exchanged a knowing nod before Dien made his way up the ramp and into the waiting transport. Kiloh waited until it had begun lifting off from the platform, then he walked over to his own transport, smiling a bit as he saw the three Maverick Hunters standing in front of the loading ramp.

“Ready to get back to the lab?” he asked as he approached them. He saw that only the orange-haired reploid –Axl, he remembered was his name- was smiling. X, the blue-armored reploid was watching him uncertainly, while Zero, the one in red, wore an enigmatic and unreadable expression.

“We’re ready when you are, Doc.” Axl answered with a grin, Zero punctuating his statement with a silent nod. “One question, though. Are we gonna get any real clothes?” Axl continued. “Because I’m not too thrilled at the prospect of living in this armor day in and day out.”

Kiloh laughed softly. “Yes, Axl, it’s all been arranged.” He replied. “When we get to the lab, there will be someone there who has everything ready for you all.”

“Well, let’s get going, then.” X said as he turned toward the loading ramp. “The sooner we get there, the sooner we can change out of our armor.”

 Kiloh chuckled to himself as he boarded the transport first. _Such an interesting trio._ He mused silently. _Things could become quite different around the labs with this group._ Within moments, the three reploids had boarded and taken seats, and the transport lifted off.

 ********

“So, you’re a Doctor of Reploid Immunology, are you?” the nearby voice drew Kiloh away from the data he was perusing. Looking up above the tops of his glasses, he saw Zero sitting a few seats away from him, observing him intently.

Putting the sheets aside, he nodded. “That’s right. I’ve studied reploid Immunology for a number of years now.” He replied.

“What does it entail?” The green eyes narrowed slightly, whether it was out of interest or some other unverifiable reason Kiloh could not say.

“It’s a lot simpler than it sounds. I basically study the various viruses that can afflict reploids, along with their infection patterns and rates.” He explained. “I then use the findings of that research to make improvements in anti-viral protection for reploids.”

“Interesting.” He watched as Zero’s gloved hands removed his helmet, revealing more of his face. “So tell me, Dr. Kiloh. Why is it that reploids are needed to help with a virus that is attacking humans?” Zero continued, raking a hand through his hair as though to restore it to some semblance of order. “Wouldn’t humans be better suited to study a human virus?”

“You would think so.” Kiloh answered, removing his glasses. “I thought the same thing when Dr. Dien first transmitted the data to me. It wasn’t until I compared the data to research I was conducting that I saw the patterns.” He sighed, leaning back in his seat. “The reason it was necessary to awaken you three is that this illness resembles one of the stronger variations of the Maverick virus far too closely to be mere coincidence. That’s really about the only concrete thing we know about this virus, however.”

Zero was silent after that, yet his expression told Kiloh that he was pondering the information he had just been given. At the same time, the transport’s pilot announced that they were approaching the lab, bringing a small smile to his face.

_Ah, home again._ He thought to himself. _Even after only a few days away, it will be good to be there._

The transport landed uneventfully in the docking bay, its loading ramp lowering to allow its occupants to leave. As Kiloh emerged from the craft, he smiled when he saw Molli waiting for him. The newest arrivals followed closely behind, all eyes scanning the area in order to acquaint themselves with it.

“Welcome to Obsidian Labs, Maverick Hunters.” Molli said with a smile. “And welcome home, Dr. Kiloh.”

“Thank you, Molli.” He responded. “It is good to be home. Now, will you kindly escort our new residents to their quarters? They’ve had an eventful time of things over the past day, and I’m sure they wish to relax.”

“Of course. Dax and I made sure all the arrangements were taken care of as soon as you contacted us, Doctor.” She said. Approaching the trio, she beamed sweetly at them. “Follow me, I’ll show you to your rooms.” She then turned toward the doorway and walked toward it, leaving them to fall into step behind her.

 Kiloh surveyed their retreating forms with great bemusement. “Yes, things will _definitely_ be a lot more interesting with them around.” He said to himself. “I only hope they can get along with Trysta.”


	3. Chapter 2: Introductions

“I’ll tell you two. Dr. Kiloh sure keeps a nice place.” X said as the three Hunters walked down one of the utilitarian halls within Obsidian Labs. They had been asked to meet him in the lab’s common room so that they might meet a few of the other residents, an invitation they accepted out of courtesy for their host.

Axl nodded. “I’ll say he does.” He replied. “It may be a smaller lab than most, but it seems he maintains it well. He must be very proud of it.”

“I’m sure he is.” Zero added. “When I spoke with him during the trip here, he seemed relieved to be returning. I would say he misses this place very much when he is away from it.”

The three paused in a hallway junction to get their bearings before continuing on. It was difficult for them to believe they had already been out of hibernation for almost a full day. Upon arriving at the labs, they had been shown to rooms by one of the doctor’s assistants. The rooms themselves were simple in design and decoration, but comfortable nonetheless. What Dr. Kiloh had said about clothing was true, as there were enough clothes in each room for them to each have a comfortable wardrobe asides from their armor.

In fact, the first thing they had done when left to their own devices was to change into normal clothes. Each of them had missed wearing regular human-style clothing during their long hibernation, and they couldn’t pass up the chance to wear it again. It was strange, but they felt much more relaxed without the bulky armor covering them. Even Zero seemed a bit less edgy, seemed more open than he had only a few hours prior.

Soon, they approached an open doorway. “This is it.” Axl said. Quickening his stride, he began to walk through it, followed closely by Zero and X. Inside, Dr. Kiloh sat with Molli and a few others, both human and reploid. One of the female reploids turned to face them, and her gaze locked with Axl’s.

He felt his footsteps slow until he was stopped in the doorway, his eyes locked on her soft gray ones. After a few moments that passed like minutes, she smiled. It was a slow, sweet gesture that he returned, adding on a wink. He watched her cheeks flush with a blush, and would have continued had he not felt the sharp prod in his ribs.

“As fascinating as it is to watch you at work here, loverboy, I’d really like to get in the door and find a place to sit.” Zero said in a low tone. Feeling his face redden with his embarrassment, Axl moved further into the room, letting the other two enter as well. X gave Axl a wink as he sat down near the doctor, while Zero observed them from a nearby corner. Shaking his head, Axl sat himself next to the pretty reploid who had attracted his attention. As he did, she gave him a sidelong glance, then averted her gaze back to her hands where they were folded in her lap, a blush tingeing her cheeks again.

Kiloh chuckled softly. “So, Axl. It seems you’re already quite taken with our little Nami, are you?” he asked gently. As Axl felt his face light up with another blush, Kiloh laughed. “Don’t worry. All you have to do is pass muster with her adoptive ‘brother’ Dax, and you should be fine.”

“Dax?” Axl managed to squeak out. His face went from flushed to pale in record time as his eyes darted about the small room.

“That would be me right back here, kiddo.” A voice behind him stated coolly. Axl turned in his seat, gaping as he saw the large, intimidating-looking reploid leaning against the wall behind him. He hadn’t thought his face could get any paler until that moment, but as he looked over Nami’s “brother”, he knew he had been wrong. Everything about the guy looked frightening; from the armor plating that peeked from beneath his human clothing to the large gun that hung on his belt, nearly touching the ground.

Nami laughed softly as she saw Axl’s face. “Don’t worry, Axl.” She said softly. “He looks intimidating, but he really isn’t unless someone attempts to hurt anyone here. He’s turned semi-pacifistic, mainly doing security and guard duties around the lab.”

Axl swallowed hard. “Oh, is t…that right, Nami?” he asked uneasily. “Well, that’s…that’s just great. I mean, i…if he’s really happy with it and all…”

Hoping to divert attention from a babbling, stammering Axl, Kiloh stood again. “So you’ve met Nami and Dax.” He continued. “Over here, sitting next to X, is another of our lab assistant reploids. This is Rei.”

Rei gave X a shy smile, extending her hand for him to shake. “I…I’m pleased to meet you, X.” She said quietly, a tiny lisp further softening her voice. In spite of himself, X felt himself blush slightly as he took her delicate hand in his.

********

Kiloh scanned the room with his eyes, a slight frown marring the normally calm features. While he was glad the Hunters were settling in well, and glad they had met a few of the other reploids who called Obsidian home, he was beginning to wonder what was taking their final guest so long to arrive.

“Molli.” He said simply, leaning over to whisper his question to her. “You did remember to ask _her_ to join us, didn’t you?”

Molli nodded. “I did, yes.” She replied. “Knowing her, she probably felt there was work she needed to do before she arrived. You know how seriously she takes her duties…”

“Duties I never even assigned her to in the first place.” Kiloh answered grumpily. “She took them on herself, for reasons I couldn’t fathom then and still can’t.” He let out a heavy sigh. “I just wish that for once, she would act more like a young woman her age, and less like a robot.”

“I know Doctor.” Molli gave his shoulder a reassuring squeeze. “I know. But don’t worry. I’m sure she’ll show up very soon.”

********

As she walked through the hall leading to the common room, Trysta Seryn rolled her eyes, tugging the bottom edge of her shirt into place. She _hated_ these meet-and-greets her guardian always asked her to join, hated how they cut into time she could better spend training or monitoring things from the security station. The boots of her heels clicked on the tile floor as she approached the door, eyes narrowed in their usual icy, observing manner. Touching the keypad with her left hand, the door slid open silently; and as she walked in, she noted with a smirk that any conversations that had been taking place before her coming had ceased upon her arrival. Coldly, she surveyed the occupants of the room, her gaze studying each of the three newcomers before moving on.

With Nami falling silent under the newcomer’s glare, Axl retreated to stand near Zero’s seat, and they were soon joined by X. “Wow, who is she?” Axl asked.

X shrugged. “Don’t know. But whoever she is, she makes quite the entrance, doesn’t she?”

“If by ‘entrance’, you’re referring to her manner of staring everyone down while casting her glare around the room, then yes, I agree.” Zero interjected, folding his arms across his chest. “I’m thinking more along the lines of her silently bullying everyone around her into submission.”

Even as they added their agreement, X and Axl couldn’t help but join Zero as he watched the new girl walk about the room. He paid them little attention, instead keeping himself focused his attention on her. He observed every detail of her, from her outfit -a blue cut-off tank top with a white collar paired with black pants and boots- to the icy demeanor she showed as she regarded everyone around her. He was surprised when he saw her icy glare thaw briefly as she regarded the other three reploids they had been introduced to; he even could have sworn he saw her smile at them, though it was a small gesture that only touched her lips and not her eyes.

Finally, as though sensing she was being watched, she straightened her back, and spun slowly to face Zero. Chill sapphire eyes, framed by red strands of hair, locked with equally chill emerald ones, and they held each other’s gazes for several moments. He could read a lot by that gaze, could see her disdain, her sense of superiority. He watched the slow smirk slide across her lips, matching the disdain present in her eyes.

As though sensing trouble was brewing, Kiloh stepped in to diffuse the situation. “Ah, Trysta. I’m glad to see you finally made it.” He said cheerfully. “Molli and I were wondering if you would desire to grace us with your presence.”

She still wore her smirk, but she broke off her gaze from Zero’s. “I was debating that very thing myself, Dr. Kiloh.” She answered. “After all, there are _so_ many other things I must do to keep things running around here.”

“What could _she_ possibly have to do that’s so important?” Axl whispered to X. “Get a manicure?”

“Yes, I realize you’re busy, Trysta, but come now. A young lady like you should allow herself time to relax and enjoy things.” Kiloh protested. “Besides, there are three reploids I must introduce you to.”

She made a disgusted face. “_New_ reploids, Doctor?” she asked snidely. “Aren’t the ones you have enough? Why do you need more?”

Kiloh cleared his throat. “Because of the scenario we discussed before my trip to Cain Labs, Trysta.” He answered. “Besides, these are not ordinary reploids. These three are the legendary Maverick Hunters.”

Gently, he led her to stand a bit closer to the trio, releasing her immediately as though his hand would freeze to her shoulder if it lingered for too long. “Trysta, meet the S Class Maverick Hunters X, Axl, and Zero. Hunters, this is Trysta Seryn, my self-appointed head of Security.”

Trysta regarded them in her usual cold manner. Her gaze focused on each of them, lingered for a moment, the moved on to the next. She finished with Zero, her eyes narrowing noticeably as they remained fixed on him for some time.

Then she did something no one expected. She began to laugh. It was a nasty, brittle laugh, meant to convey disdain as opposed to humor. “These three are Hunters?” she asked nastily. “Dr. Kiloh, they don’t look like they could hunt for water when it rains.” She smirked as she renewed her gaze at Zero. “This one here especially looks incompetent.” She continued. “After all, how can a male reploid that looks more girly than I do _possibly_ be of any use?”

Zero shot up from his seat, rage burning in his eyes. His hands reached for his absent Z-saber, itching to activate it and use it to silence her cruel talk. He had no weapons with him, having left them with his armor, and thus he was left powerless to do anything more than listen to her mockery.

She had moved on to Axl, however, and her mockingly snide language continued. “How could you trust someone with that kind of scar to be useful?” she asked coldly. “What happened, Axl? Dodge that last hit a bit too slowly?” Zero could see his friend’s face blanch as she laughed icily at him, and he felt the renewed longing for his saber, that he might be able to shut her up.

Her eyes narrowed further as she looked upon X. “What’s the matter, little one?” she mocked. “Afraid to talk to me? Or are you always mute and relying on your girly, incompetent friends to talk for you?”

“Trysta!” Belatedly, Kiloh stepped between them. “That is quite enough!”

She regarded him with a raised eyebrow. “Oh, you’re quite mistaken, Dr. Kiloh.” She purred coolly. ‘I’ve only just begun with these three. But I suppose I am finished for now. You see, unlike them, I actually have things I must do, things that take precedence over standing around in the common room and chatting the day away.”

She pulled away from Kiloh, leaving the three Hunters with one last icy glare as her farewell. Then she walked back to the door and activated the panel to open it. Once she had stepped through, it closed behind her, though the clicking of her heels could still be heard faintly through the door as she walked away.

********

Kiloh and Molli shared a look. “That didn’t go very well, did it?” Molli asked.

“Actually, that’s the nicest I’ve seen Trysta be when she’s introduced to strangers.” Kiloh corrected. “I’ve seen her act even crueler if she feels justified in doing so.”

‘It still doesn’t excuse anything that just went on.” Molli protested. “Honestly, Doctor, you’re her guardian, why don’t you try to rein her in some? I worry she’ll say the wrong thing to someone one day, then you and she both will be in trouble.”

He sighed. “I wish it were that easy, Molli. But she refuses to be swayed or influenced by anyone, let alone me.” He explained. “Still, you’re right. I shouldn’t make her feel she’s being encouraged to behave this way toward everyone.” He cast a glance over at the trio of Hunters where they remained after their introduction to his ward. “I should apologize to them for that.”

Smiling as he saw Molli’s affirming nod, Kiloh made his way over to where they stood. “I apologize for what just happened.” He began. “I wish I could say Trysta isn’t normally like that, and that she’ll change once she warms up to you, but I have my doubts that that will occur.”

X still wore an expression that could be likened to severe shock. “Sorry for asking, Doctor, but what exactly is _her_ problem?” He asked. “I mean, we gave her no reason whatsoever to attack us the way she did…”

Kiloh sighed. “It’s because you’re strangers and you’re reploids.” He said simply. “She has a severe distrust and disliking of strangers, at least until they prove themselves to her. Doubly so if the strangers happen to be reploids for some reason.”

“Prove ourselves?” Zero protested. “We haven’t done anything to her, yet she takes it upon herself to insult and attack us. We came here to help you, but she insists on ‘testing’ us in order to grant us a meager amount of respect, from what you just told us. This isn’t some kind of game.”

Removing his glasses, Kiloh pinched the bridge of his nose before replacing them. “You wouldn’t be the first to say that about her response to you, Zero.” He replied. “Nor will you be the last, I’m afraid. She hides herself so deeply within that icy shell of hers that I’d be surprised if she even knows herself anymore.”

Axl shrugged, his arms folded across his chest. “Well, I suppose if we give her a wide berth, she’ll have enough of a reason to leave us alone.” He suggested. “If we can do that until we’re sent off on our next mission, we might be able to avoid trouble with her.”

X nodded. “Good idea, Axl.” He replied. “We don’t need someone like her dragging us down.”

Kiloh nodded his understanding. “Glad to know you aren’t letting her attitude affect you.” He replied. Looking back at Molli, he saw her waving him back over to her, and figured it was a good time to excuse himself from the Hunters. “Excuse me, I’m afraid my assistant has some things she wishes to discuss with me.” he apologized. “In spite of Trysta’s behavior, I do hope you enjoy staying here with us.”

As he watched the scientist’s retreating back, Zero narrowed his eyes darkly for a moment. “_I would rather spit in her face than give her any reason to respect me.”_ He muttered under his breath.

********

Molli smiled as Kiloh rejoined her. “Seems you’ve managed to smooth out some ruffled feathers, Doctor.” She observed admiringly. “Very nicely handled if I may say so myself.”

He returned her smile. “Thank you, Molli.” He replied. “It’s a necessary part of being a scientist, knowing how to be a good diplomat. I only hope it was enough to placate them, if only for now.”

She shrugged. “It might be. For what it’s worth, even if it isn’t, they might help knock that girl down a few pegs.” She said as she took a drink from the cup she held in her left hand. “We both know she could use that.”

“What do you mean by that, Molli?”

“Oh, you know what I mean, Doctor. Hopefully, they’ll teach her that she isn’t the greatest thing in this world, teach her that having a little humility isn’t really such a terrible thing.” She cast another look at the three reploids before continuing. “The blond one, Zero, might be an especially interesting challenge for her.”

“Yes, he might be at that.” Kiloh mused. “When they were first awakened, I observed him very closely, watched his habits and demeanor. As I did, I had to tell myself to make sure he and Trysta never got into a fight, lest she possibly wind up on the losing end of it. It seems my observations have turned out to be rather accurate. Those two will likely butt heads numerous times before everything is said and done.”

Molli nodded her agreement. “I’m sure they will as well, Doctor.” She answered. “And it could be interesting when the dust settles. I guess we’ll see who emerges the victor in the end.”

********

Trysta slapped her palm against the wall panel, closing the door to her room behind her with a soft thud. She crossed the room and flopped onto her bed, trying to simultaneously forget and remember the events that had just occurred. She knew going to that gathering was a mistake, and now she was kicking herself mentally for ignoring her gut.

Still, she knew that that wasn’t the _only_ reason for her current bout of self-loathing. It was also meeting those three damned reploids. The younger-appearing two didn’t seem so bad, though the one with the scarred face was good for a few laughs. She found it especially funny how the quiet one looked so pale and frightened when she spoke to him, like he expected her to pull a gun on him and put a bullet through his head.

But the blond one –Zero, her guardian had said was his name- he was a different matter altogether. She’d be fooling herself if she didn’t admit that she felt the light tingle of a spark around her heart as she locked gazes with him for those few moments. That reaction from her system, however involuntary it was, frightened the hell out of her. In all her years living as Dr. Kiloh’s ward, no one had ever made her feel like that on a first meeting. And she wasn’t about to let it become a habit.

She swallowed hard, dispelling the memory by remembering her mocking words. Yes, they were cruel. She wasn’t deluded enough to not know when things she had said were cruelly mocking and when they weren’t. It had been a reaction to her feelings; he had unsettled her so much that she felt a need to retreat and cover the new vulnerability she perceived in herself.

Yes, allowing her guardian to talk her into that meeting was a bad idea. It had shaken her confidence significantly, and there was little that could restore it outside of a bout of sparring in her training room…

A slow smile crept over her lips. Sitting up, she quickly changed clothes; wearing her usual practice gear instead of her everyday clothing made for longer-lasting clothes, after all. She stopped only long enough to pick up her pistols and practice swords before pressing the panel to open the door again.

As she stepped into the hall leading to the training room, she took the time to adjust her pistols to “Stun”. She was always cautious when using live weapons during training, lest someone wind up dead on her watch. She prided herself on how safe she kept her room, insisting others follow the same rules that she imposed on herself. Anyone who didn’t would _not_ be permitted to use the room.

Her eyes had returned to their usual icy hue, while the smile she wore grew even chillier. This was going to be fun. She just knew it.


	4. Chapter 4: Sparring

Zero didn’t know how long he had been sitting in his room; it could have been as short as a few minutes or as long as a few hours. Whichever it was, he didn’t care; it had been more than enough time for him to clear his head. His ears still burned slightly from the cruel words spoken by the girl Trysta, and he felt a hint of anger that he had to sit there and take her abuse without retaliating.

One day, he would pay her back for the humiliation he had endured for those few moments. One day, _she_ would know what it was like to be denigrated without having the ability to fight back. A part of him eagerly looked forward to that day, and a slow smile touched his lips briefly as he thought about it.

Finally, he stood up and stretched. He had been sitting far too long in one position, and his limbs ached slightly as they adjusted to being moved again. He knew he needed something to keep his mind off his anger, so he decided to see what X and Axl were up to. He hadn’t heard much from them since they all had returned from the gathering, and he was becoming a bit curious.

Exiting his room, he walked the few steps over to X’s and knocked on the door. Within seconds, the door slid open and X stood there, looking incredibly relieved to see him. “Zero! I’m so glad you’re here.” He said, taking Zero’s arm and tugging him into the room. “You’ve got to help me, Zero. Ever since we came back from the common room, Axl’s been talking nonstop about that girl reploid Nami that he met. I can’t get him to shut up!”

“I have not been talking about her nonstop, X!” Axl protested as Zero took a seat on the floor. “Sure, I’ve been mentioning her quite a bit, but that’s far from nonstop.”

X shot Zero a helpless, “See what I’ve had to put up with?” look, which Zero promptly shrugged off. He hated to get in the middle of this, but he knew if he didn’t, he wouldn’t have any peace for the rest of the day. “Axl, I know she must be a great girl, but can you please give X a break from the endless chatter?”

Zero could feel Axl give him an evil scowl, while X beamed him a grateful smile. He ignored Axl’s glare, not wanting to add any more fuel to the fire than he already had. “Hey, do you two know of anything exciting we can do around here?” he finally asked, figuring a switch in topics was best. “I’m getting bored stiff with just sitting around in my room.”

After a moment of quiet thought, X stood up rapidly. “Hey! I know!” He exclaimed. “I remember Molli telling me about the training rooms on the lower level of the lab when she showed me to my room. Why don’t I call her and ask her about them?”

“Great idea, X!” Axl replied. Zero merely nodded his agreement, figuring the combined exuberance of his two friends was enough without his adding anything to it.

X made his way over to the communications console and tapped a button. After several seconds, Molli’s image appeared on the monitor.

“Hello, X.” Molli greeted him, her smile warm. “What can I do for you?”

“Molli, can you tell me more about the training rooms you mentioned when I first arrived here?” X asked. “The three of us would really like to use one of them.”

“I’ll do one better. I’ll show you where you can find them.” A map appeared on the screen, showing the shortest route to the rooms. “You can see you’re very close already.” She continued as X studied the map carefully. “Just take the second hall elevator down three floors, then make a right once you step off the elevator. Also, anyone who wants to train down there is required to suit up.”

“Suit up? What do you mean?” X asked, raising an eyebrow slightly.

“It's nothing terrible. We simply ask everyone to wear light practice armor to reduce the chances of injury,” Molli continued. “Each of you should have a set sitting in a case to the left of your closets. There are also weapons provided, or you can use your own provided the power level is low enough to avoid injuries.”

“Okay, I think I’ve got it. Thanks, Molli.” X said, reaching for the button to end the communication.

“Wait. I should forewarn you three.” Molli interjected, causing him to pause with his hand on the button. “The training rooms tend to be Trysta’s domain. You’ll often find her down there training a new guard or sparring with the other three reploids. I just wanted to advise you of that, so you can give her a wide berth if necessary.”

“Thanks for that, Molli. If we need anything else, I’ll call you again.” Seeing her acknowledging nod, X ended the communication and turned to face his two friends. “So, shall we go?” he asked.

“If it means seeing Nami again, I’ll go!” Axl stood up, feeling a blush tinge his face as he saw X roll his eyes. “I mean, I could use the bit of practice myself. After all, it _is_ rather boring sitting here and daydreaming.”

“Well, let’s get moving, then.” Zero stood up and headed for the door. “The longer we stay up here and chitchat, the shorter the time we’ll have for training. Let's get changed.”

He and Axl returned to their respective rooms, leaving X alone. He turned toward the closet, and instantly spotted the gear Molli had mentioned. It was relatively lightweight, yet as he changed into it he could feel the strength of the materials. It wouldn't be enough to stop a blade or a projectile, but it could offer some protection.

Picking up the weapons that sat in holsters in the case, X slipped them into their holsters on his belt. Once he felt he was ready, he left his room, smiling as he spotted Zero and Axl waiting for him just outside. As the trio walked down the hall, Axl fell into step beside X. “So, what do you think our chances are of meeting up with Trysta again?” he asked.

“Knowing our luck? It’s more likely than not that we will see her.” X answered with a shrug. “That’s just how things work with us, I guess.”

**********

The gun Dax held in his hands recoiled as it fired, sending a spray of stinging bolts toward the figure of his training partner. He held the gun as steady as possible while he fired, knowing one small slip could prove disastrous. Even though the weapon was set on “Stun”, he still did not want to take the chance that it might be live without his knowing, and risk hurting someone inadvertently.

His opponent crouched and drew a pair of blades from her back. Linking them together at the hilts, she formed a double-bladed weapon that she spun in front of her. It deflected most of the shots that whizzed toward her, sending them harmlessly into the surrounding walls; the few that it didn’t block were slowed enough not to pose a significant threat. The more he fired the gun, the more she deflected the shots, until he ran out of energy and was forced to holster it.

He barely had time to draw his sword when he heard the distinctive sound of someone running toward him. Holding the sword in his left hand, Dax swung it upward in a huge arc, hoping to parry whatever blow might be coming his way. He seemed to briefly strike something, felt the edge of his blade lightly scrape against something that wasn’t there a few seconds previously. In the blink of an eye, it was gone, replaced by the powerful blow that struck him in his chest. He staggered back, falling against the shatterproof glass behind him with a grunt as he mentally thanked the designer of his armor for making it so sturdy.

He looked up as he saw the figure land a few feet away from him. “Nice one, Trys.” He said, removing himself from his leaning posture. “Once again, you prove you’re entirely too fast for me.”

“Oh, don’t be silly, Dax.” She replied, brushing a fingertip along the shoulder of her training armor. “You had me across here, didn’t you? I’ve never let you get a hit like that off me.” Frowning, she plucked off the few strands of hair he had sliced when his sword had struck her. “Either I’m getting soft or you’re getting much better. Or you’re telling me I need a haircut, one of the three.”

Dax shook his head. “It had to be a fluke.” He protested. “There is no way I could have hit you that easily.”

She rested her hands on her hips. “Then you must admit that that’s one heck of a fluke.” She countered.

She was about to continue when a hint of motion caught her attention. Looking around Dax, she saw the trio of Hunters watching them through the glass. “Look sharp, Dax.” She remarked, jerking her chin in their general direction. “It appears we have an audience.”

**********

Zero groaned inwardly, wishing he could disappear as quickly as they had been spotted. The three of them had been looking for an empty room they could use when Axl had slowed down to watch what was going on in one of the occupied rooms. Zero and X had turned back to see what delayed him, and they wound up standing and observing the match that was going on, not realizing who was involved until it was over.

X and Axl felt their faces redden. “Well, looks like you were right, X.” Axl remarked. “With our luck, we _did_ run into her again.”

As X was about to reply, two familiar figures approached the door to their left that led into the room. The two Hunters looked up, only to meet eyes yet again with Rei and Nami before the two girls entered. They observed Trysta as she greeted the pair kindly, interacting with them for a few minutes before she seemed to notice them again.

She then surprised them by gesturing that they should come in as well. X exchanged a look with Axl, who then shared a look with Zero, before the three of them slowly made their way into the room. Axl entered first and moved to stand next to Nami. X moved to stand near Rei, while Zero made himself comfortable leaning against the wall behind him. All three of them watched Trysta with some degree of curiosity, as they had not expected her to make a gesture like this. Surely her way would have been to mock them for being foolish enough to stop and watch her, wouldn’t it?

Her expression was slightly bemused, but her voice was as enigmatic as ever. “I’m sure you’re wondering about this sudden ‘generosity’ of mine.” She began. “I am never selfish when it comes to my training rooms. I may be selfish in other aspects of my life, but not the use of these rooms. As long as you follow the rules, you are more than welcome to use them as much as you like.”

“And what rules are those, I wonder?” Axl muttered under his breath. “Letting you win in a sparring match or else we’re banned for life from using the rooms?”

The glare Trysta gave Axl was so malicious it caused him to involuntarily take a step backward. “You want to try facing off against me, Axl?” she asked icily, her eyes narrowing dangerously. “Because if there’s one thing I have no tolerance for, it’s slander of _any_ kind, regardless of who its intended target is.”

The smart remark that he intended to throw back at her promptly died in his throat as he stood beneath her glare. The girl could go from enigmatic to cruel in milliseconds if she felt so justified, and the result would not be pretty unless he found some way to defuse it. “I…I didn’t mean it that way…” he stammered, mentally cursing himself for letting her get to him so easily.

Her jaw tightened. “Oh, didn’t you?” she asked mockingly. “It sure _sounded_ like you meant it that way. My, my, do you always lose your nerve so quickly when called out on something?”

“Back off, Trysta.” Zero stepped away from the wall, his eyes as hard looking as her own were. “He said he didn’t mean for it to sound that way, and I believe him. So just let it drop.”

“It’s so _admirable_ how you stick up for him, Zero.” She sneered in reply. “Tell me, Axl, was it difficult to turn Zero into your own personal lapdog? If so, I’d like to have lessons on how to do it.”

Zero gritted his teeth, seeing tinges of red in the corners of his vision. It seemed she _always_ found something to use as ammunition against them, even words of support for a friend. He clenched his fists at his sides, resisting the urge to silence her with a powerful backhanded strike across the face. That urge was unlike him, but her cruelty was rapidly fraying the control he had over his temper.

“If you think you’re so great and wonderful.” He ground out between his clenched teeth. “Then why not spar against us? That way, we can see how ‘wonderful’ you really are.”

“Not a bad idea.” She answered with a smirk. “Maybe if the three of you have your collective asses handed back to you in a fair bout of sparring, it will get you to leave me alone.”

Zero’s glare darkened as he tried to ignore her snide comment. “We will see.” He growled. Turning his back on her, he looked at his two friends as they stared. “Well, shall we follow through on my offer?” he asked.

Seeing their nods, he turned back to Trysta. “All right. You’ll have your match…” he said, beginning to draw his saber. He mentally thanked himself for having the foresight to pick it up before he exited his room, as he had missed it acutely during their last meeting.

She held up a hand. “Before you do anything, you need to know the rules.” She answered coolly. “First, you are to respect your opponent, meaning hitting them when they’re down and defenseless is out of the question. Secondly, gun weapons are not to be used unless they’re set to stun. I do _not_ want anyone being seriously injured here.”

She paused, raising an eyebrow as she caught sight of Zero drawing his saber from his belt. “Adding on to the second rule, Zero, you’ll have to turn down the power on your weapon.”

“What?”

“You heard me perfectly. The higher the power of that weapon, the greater the risk of you injuring someone with it. Now, either turn down the power on it, or select a different weapon.” She rested her hands on her hips as she waited for him to make his decision.

He glared at her for several moments before touching a button on the hilt of his saber, modulating its power output. He hated to admit she was right, but he could see the logic behind her rules. He was sure that, without those rules in place, she would likely have some half-cocked individual come in under the pretense of “sparring”, only to wind up seriously injuring or killing someone, if she hadn’t seen one already.

She nodded her brief appreciation without an accompanying smile before turning her attention to X and Axl. After making sure their weapons were adjusted accordingly, she drew her own weapons. “Well, shall we get this going?” she asked.

Although the other two nodded, Zero could make out the slight paling of their faces as they saw the pair of short swords that she wielded. And he couldn’t blame them. The blade of each one was as long as her forearm; and had she not appeared to know what she was doing with them, the three of them would likely have not escaped this bout without injury. But the grace and ease with which she handled them suggested she was very familiar with using them, almost like she had been born with them as extra appendages.

As she turned and walked to the far end of the room, Axl and X moved to take positions near each other. Each had weapons at the ready; Axl with his guns, X with a smaller version of the gun Dax often trained with. He would normally have used his Buster, but it was difficult to regulate the power output on it, so he chose not to chance it being too powerful.

Reaching her desired place, Trysta spun back to face them before fluidly dropping into a crouch. It was her favorite pose to take when sparring or fighting, as it provided her with the most mobility and the least vulnerability. She looked up at the trio where they stood, smiling to herself as she felt her heart start to race.

She hoped this was a challenge worth taking up.

“I’m ready when you three are.” She called out. “Unless you’re backing out on me already…”

She didn’t even have time to finish her taunt, as Axl raised the barrels of his guns and opened fire. X followed suit quickly thereafter, adding his own fire to the mix. Zero waited to see what the result might turn out to be. His eyes widened slightly as he watched what she was doing. He _never_ thought something like that could be possible! He had seen it when he watched Trysta face off against Dax, but he thought it was merely his eyes playing tricks on him. Now he knew it wasn’t an illusion, wasn’t him losing his mind. She was _really doing it_!

Still tucked into her crouch position, Trysta had linked the hilts of her twin blades so she effectively had a double-bladed sword. Keeping her gaze locked on the two figures pointing their guns at her, she spun the long blade in her hand. The result was her effectively creating a barrier that was deflecting the majority of the shots. Most of them struck the walls and floor surrounding her, making dull thudding noises as they landed. The few that managed to slip past her defense made small gouges along the surface of her armor and cut tiny bloodless nicks in her hands and cheeks.

After several moments, both X and Axls’ weapons signaled they were out of energy. As they tried to figure out what to do next, Zero noticed they were dropping their guard ever so slightly. Apparently, it was all the opening she needed; for the next thing he saw was her separating her twin swords and replacing them on her back. She didn’t waste a second, as soon as they were secure on her back, she charged toward her opponents as fast as she could in the confines of the room. They barely had time to react before she leapt at them, disarming each of them with a few strikes. They defended themselves as best as they could, but still wound up sprawled on their backs on the floor, bewildered at what had just transpired.

Trysta folded her arms, glaring at them in her typical disdainful manner. “Pathetic.” She remarked in a low voice. “And here I was hoping to get a _real_ challenge in this bout of sparring. Guess I’m disappointed once again.”

“You’re wrong.” Zero spoke up behind her, causing her to turn and face him. “I could prove quite a challenge to you, if you’re willing. Or are you writing me off without engaging me?”

She raised a scornful eyebrow. “While I don’t see how a reploid that looks more like a girl than I do could be of any threat to me, I’ll humor you.”

His glare further darkened as he watched her unsheathe the twin blades from her back again. “It’s dangerous to underestimate an opponent.” He retorted quietly. “Even someone like you should know that.”

The smirk she gave him in return was brittle. “Who says I’m underestimating you?” she asked tauntingly, stepping back to create further distance between the two of them. “Seems I’m telling things the way they appear.”

“Only the way they appear to _you_.” He growled in response. He watched her through narrowed eyes, making sure she didn’t try anything to give her an edge over him.

“Naturally. My way is the _only_ way to see things, after all. It makes it easier to separate the worthy from the trash.”

He didn’t even wait for her to stop before he charged at her. He had had _enough_ of her nasty looks and nastier comments. As he swung his saber at her, he was only mildly surprised she was able to turn and block it as quickly as she did. What surprised him more was the sweep with her foot that threatened to take his feet from underneath him. He felt it make contact, felt it knock his feet out from beneath him. Quickly, he rolled on his back before springing back to his feet.

She was quick, he had to give her that. As soon as his feet touched the ground, she was at him, her blades whizzing past his ears as she made her strikes. He parried her blows, and then struck back, blocking her blades with his saber before driving his knee into her stomach.

She reeled back several steps, catching her breath slowly. “Not bad.” She remarked simply, resting one hand over the impact site as she recovered. “And of _course_ you had to hit me right in my armor’s weakest spot.”

Zero smirked. “Yes, of course I did.” He replied, the tone of his voice clipped. “If that’s one way to stop you, then I’ll do it.”

She straightened up, her arm falling back to its usual place at her side. “But who says it’s stopping me?” she asked. She knelt, picking her sword up from where she had dropped it when she was kicked. “If you’re trying to win, I’m sorry to disappoint you by not making it as easy as you might have hoped.” She continued. “I never did do things the easy way.”

He felt a tinge of aggravation creep in to mingle with his already frayed temper. Damn, how did she always manage to find another way to annoy him? “So, you prefer things the hard way, do you?” he asked coldly. “That can be arranged easily.”

Charging at her, he struck with his saber, only to watch her parry the blow with her swords and dodge the brunt of his assault. Much to his consternation, it seemed she was able to anticipate his moves; as he pressed his attack, she diverted and dodged it. In response, he quickened the speed of his own moves, not letting her either land a blow with her weapons or immobilize him with a kick.

Their duel continued for several more minutes, with neither seeming to gain ground that the other didn’t immediately take back. A break in the action came, however, when Zero managed to knock one of Trysta’s blades from her hand. As it spun across the floor, she tried to run after it, only to have him block her path.

She glared darkly at him before swinging with her remaining weapon. He was able to parry her strike easily, but mentally cursed himself as he realized it was little more than a distraction to permit her to reclaim her lost weapon. He pursued her in vain, realizing she was too far ahead for him to prevent her from reaching it.

With her blade back in her grasp, Trysta spun on him, charging him rapidly with blades spinning. Zero stopped himself, trying to dodge her, but he wasn’t fast enough. Her shoulder impacted his, knocking him onto his back. He dodged the three rapid strikes from her as he moved to stand up. She was still as fast as ever, but he was feeling his patience wear thin. He had to find a way to end this bout.

Quickly, he rolled to get his feet beneath him. Once he regained his footing, he sprang at her, timing it so she was lunging at him at the same time. The maneuver worked; she tried to dodge him without losing her advantage, which only caused her to fall rather unceremoniously onto her left shoulder. Pressing his newfound advantage, he advanced on her before she could recover.

Even with the wind knocked from her, she was still fast, he observed disgustedly. She quickly rolled to her back, and then shifted so she was sitting up. As she did, she raised her swords in preparation to block his. He merely stood over her, pointing the tip of his saber at her chest, while her blades pointed at two vital areas on his own body.

_Stalemate_. Had this been a real fight, there would be no way for either of them to move without serious injury or death. He was more than satisfied with a stalemate. She had proved a reasonably challenging opponent, in spite of her arrogance and insults.

At his feet, she relaxed noticeably, almost seeming to smile. “Well done, Zero.” She said, dropping her arms to her sides. “It’s been a long time since I was challenged to this degree. I am impressed.”

He took a step back, deactivating his saber in order to allow her room to stand. “I don’t need praise.” He replied coolly. _Especially not from someone like you._

Once she was standing, she sheathed her swords in their holders on her back before turning to Zero and extending her right hand. “It takes a damn good fighter to impress me, and I daresay you have done so easily.” She said. “Well met, Zero.”

He regarded the outstretched hand mutely, not moving to take it. Raising his eyes to meet hers, he saw his feelings of anger and outrage mirrored in her own expression. This was obviously not a girl who was used to being refuted.

She dropped her arm back to her side, where its hand clenched into a tight fist. “So that’s the way it’s going to be, is it?” she asked, her jaw tightened in anger. “So be it, Zero.”

Still refusing to speak, he merely brushed past her. He walked over to where X and Axl still stood, nodding to each one before the three of them left the room. As they passed Rei and Nami, Axl seemed to slow slightly as his gaze locked again with Nami’s, but that moment was interrupted when Zero forcibly took his arm and tugged him away.

Seeing Trysta standing by herself in the center of the room, Dax walked over and slipped a comforting arm around her shoulders. “I wouldn’t worry myself with that one if I were you, Trys.” He said. “I’d be surprised if _anyone_ were able to crack that guy.”

 


	5. Chapter 3: Motivations and Memories

Having declared the gathering ended, Kiloh excused himself from Molli and the three reploids. He felt tired, wanted to rest some before resuming his research, and yet knew that sleep would be the last thing coming to him. Molli seemed concerned, but if she had any doubts, she refrained from expressing them as he took his leave.

It turned out he was right. When he stepped into his room, Kiloh knew he would not be sleeping. There were too many things on his mind, both current and past, that were preventing him from sleeping. Instead, he sat on the edge of the bed and surveyed the room, as he did every night to see if that would bore him into falling asleep. His eyes fell on his desk, fixated upon the message sent to him by Dr. Dien. He sighed wearily, remembering it contained little news regarding the virus, except a vaguely worded promise to "monitor suspicious activity" that was taking place somewhere.

Beginning to move his eyes away from the desk, they came to rest on an old frame that sat on the edge of the desk closest to the wall behind it. Standing up, Kiloh crossed the room and lifted the frame from the shelf it resided on. Brushing away the thin covering of dust, he felt his eyes smart with tears as he looked at the digital image stored within.

He hadn't allowed himself to think too much about his wife since her death fifteen years earlier. They had married young –he had been twenty, she eighteen-, but they were a happy couple. She was also a reploid researcher, but was more interested in the design of new reploid creations; indeed, the designs of Rei and Nami were directly influenced by her work.

The attack that had taken her from him was a quick, brutal one. A small army of Maverick Reploids had commandeered the transport she was riding home from work, and were threatening to "eliminate" their human hostages. When every other means of disabling the transport had failed, their prisoners came up with their own plan. Led by his wife, they fought against their captors, forcing the transport to crash into a tall building. Though they were beaten, the group of Mavericks earned their revenge in the end when one of them put a shot straight through the heart of his lovely Luniya. If he took any small comfort from her death, it was that she was hailed a hero whose untimely death was quick and painless.

"Luniya…" he whispered. Tears streaked his cheeks and make tiny transparent dots on the frame. Carefully, he wiped them away with his sleeve, as though he might damage the digitized picture by being too rough with it. His heart still ached with the agony of that day, the day he was told his wife would not be returning to him. For the next several months, he felt as though he was in a daze, doing everything by a combination of automation and sheer force of will.

Her death was especially bitter for him because they had been talking about improving their marriage outside of work. A few years prior, Luniya had expressed an interest in starting a family and settling into a pattern of work and child rearing. He, not sure if he wanted to give up the freedom he had had up to that point, was quick to negate the idea. Now he would give anything to go back to that day and agree with her. He would give up whatever he felt he had to if it meant she would still be alive and by his side now.

But he knew that wishing for the past to be different was useless. He had refused to consider her wishes above his, she was dead, and he responded by walling himself off in his labs and throwing himself into his research. He didn't know why he worked so exhaustively on his research, but he suspected a part of him hoped to keep her memory alive by promoting peace between humans and reploids. It might be a fool's hope in the end, but a fool's hope was better than no hope in his mind.

Three years after her death, his routine of grieving and working was interrupted by an unexpected arrival. Even now, he still wasn't sure what to make of it. A child, brought by her mother to stay until the mother chose to return. Not having been around children much, he did not know how to care for the girl, and mostly left her to her own devices as he worked. Too late, he now knew that that was a serious mistake on his part. She grew up intelligent and curious, but with ice for a heart and acid for an attitude.

_Maybe that's why Trysta turned out the way she did._ He thought to himself miserably. _If I had only bothered to spend more time with her…_

Hoping to distract himself from the memories that tore at his heart, he turned his thoughts to Dr. Dien, and the message he had just received. Along with the news regarding his research, Dien had mentioned a troubling new development in the infection patterns.

Namely, he mentioned his own sister and nephew falling ill. Kiloh could read the pain in the written words, could feel his friend's anguish at having to report the news. It was never easy having to talk about the illness or death of a loved one, as he discovered first-hand so many years ago. But it must be agonizing for Dien, to watch them die of an illness that no one had any knowledge of.

Kiloh sighed again as he returned to his prior seat on the bed. So many memories, and so many current heartaches. How humans ever learned to cope with their negative emotions over the millennia he did not know. Yet he knew that wallowing in sorrow and self-pity would accomplish nothing. He had to get his mind back on his task and research, or else he would never be of any help to Dien.

After several minutes of sitting silently on the bed, he felt himself yawn. It was the first time in many years that he had felt tired this early in the evening. Removing his glasses, he set them on the nearby table before laying on his back on the bed.

"Nage, you really need some sleep." He told himself. "A clear head will…permit…clearer…"

As he drifted off to sleep, a rare sort of peace entered his mind for the first time in many years. He didn't feel anger, or sadness, or even happiness. He just _felt_, in a way that defied both logic and explanation.

 

*****

Dien had always been a night owl. He worked long days and rarely slept at night, unless he was about to drop from sheer exhaustion. Now was no exception. He hadn't slept in four days, had drunk so many energy drinks that he could taste their sticky sweetness in his mouth, and was amazed he could even stand upright and read numbers correctly.

But he _had_ to keep himself going. Ever since Sasha and her son Tyren had been brought to him with symptoms of the illness, he had worked tirelessly to figure out more details about the illness and its origins. He still had learned precious little about it, and that fact alone nearly drove him out of his mind with frustration.

He refused to give up, however. He knew that giving up would only break his heart, and theirs when he told them there was nothing he could do. He would kill himself before he would let them give up hope. Unless his friend Kiloh, Dien had never seen the need to take a wife; as such his sister and her son were the only family he had in the world. He would do _anything_ in his power to protect them.

Analyzing the data patterns, he was struck by an odd anomaly. It appeared the heaviest concentration of victims was coming from the area around an old, decommissioned base on the edge of the ocean. He wasn't sure how the virus was being spread, but a few days' worth of analysis would likely give him some hints. He transmitted a message to Kiloh, keeping him updated on his progress and telling him he would be in contact when he learned more.

With that out of the way, he decided a rare bout of sleep would be best for him, considering the circumstances. He didn't even bother shrugging off his lab coat, merely shoved the covers to the foot of the bed and lay on it.

Within moments, he was sound asleep. A sleep he hoped would not be interrupted with frivolous dreams.


End file.
